So, as one realizes fie keen zest with which every unusual item is noted, the closeness of observation shown by these country-folk coming to Shanghai to worship the Great Buddha in his "Temple of Peace and Rest" by the Bubbling Well, the picture of all the pil-grimaces since man began to inhabit this old earth, comes before one. "Man has always been a restless animal. Even when he outgrow his nomad traits in the main the wanderlust still lingered in the background of his consciousness. He had home ties and duties. It needed a powerful excuse like Religion to warrant his starting out on his wandering way. Hence the Crusades. Hence the Meccas.
Later on the god of Education began to be worshipped in the travel ritual, Pleasure excursions might be-frowned upon as frivolous; but any amount of money might be expended in the pursuit of Culture. The shrines of Music, Art and Learning all had their devotees who felt with Masefield: "It is good to be out on the road, and going one knows not where," but who needed some exalted aim toa justify their roving feet.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.